10 Underrated Caribbean Cruise Ports

The Caribbean's largest cruise ship ports, from the Bahamas to Cozumel to San Juan, Puerto Rico, are all familiar to travelers as multi-faceted vacation destinations filled with passenger-pleasing attractions and activities.

But there are several Caribbean cruise ports that are lesser-noticed, despite also featuring a diverse array of tourist sites and experiences. We've profiled 10 of them here, with some of the outstanding highlights that distinguish each of these under-the-radar ports of call.

Dual-island nation St. Kitts and Nevis features distinctive natural beauty and diverse attractions highlighting the destination's African, Caribbean and colonial heritage.

St. Kitts features a scenic railway, watersports, shopping, dining and casino gaming around the capital of Basseterre. Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Nevis' centerpiece is 3,232-foot Mount Nevis; the lush landscape features long stretches of isolated beachfront. Alexander Hamilton's birthplace is found in Charlestown, Nevis' colonial-era capital.

The British Virgin Islands (B.V.I.) features 16 inhabited and more than 43 uninhabited islands, with activity centered on Tortola, whose Road Town is the B.V.I.'s capital

Tortola's sheltered harbor includes a marina that regularly hosts regattas and features international restaurants serving locally-caught seafood. Vacationers can time their travel to coordinate with cuisine-focused festivals highlighted by B.V.I. Food Fete, an annual month-long culinary event held each November.

Curacao's UNESCO World Heritage Site city of Willemstad has an urban character absent from many Caribbean destinations, with winding streets and distinctive architecture.

Willemstad's cultural mix features African, European and Creole influences, celebrated in museums and historic sites including the Kura Hurlanda Museum, which chronicles the trans-Atlantic slave trade and its influence on Curacao.

Curacao also features a diverse collection of more than 60 beaches including Baby Beach, which features calm, shallow waters ideal for families.

Dominica has almost no sandy beaches but is a fascinatingly rich country whose ecological wonders include lush flora and fauna and an extensive natural park system featuring inland rivers and high mountain peaks.

From the capital of Roseau, visitors can arrange tours of Dominica's rainforest, home to 170 bird species. Morne Trois Pitons National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site encompassing 17,000 acres where visitors will find adventure activities including rappelling and zip-lining.

Grenada is known as the "Spice Isle" for its abundant natural sources of nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, cocoa and its exotic flowers and rare fruits. The archipelago offers several secluded beachfronts, highlighted by Grand Anse Beach in the capital of St. George's.

The beach's calm waters stretch for two miles along white sands. Cultural sites around St. George the River Antoine Distillery, where visitors can witness traditional rum-making via the Caribbean's oldest-functioning water-propelled still.

An overseas department of France, Martinique's capital of Fort de France features numerous man-made landmarks extending from La Savane, the city's landscaped town square.

Fort de France's historic sites include Fort Saint Louis, the city's historic seaside fortress and the neo-classical Old City Hall on Rue de la Republique, completed 1901. The building presently houses a museum and theater honoring Aime Cesaire, a founder of France's négritude literary movement.

Antigua's cruise ship dock is located in St. John, a popular shopping and dining hub. English Harbour in Antigua's historic district is a must-visit located within a short driving distance of St. John.

The harbor incorporates Nelson's Dockyard National Park, a colonial-era British naval base. The restored complex's 18th- and 19th-century buildings feature historic exhibits, restaurants and shops. Shirley Heights is a restored military gun battery that provides sweeping views of English Harbour and Falmouth Harbour.

Barbados features beautiful beaches, lush hilly areas and the historic capital of Bridgetown, all minutes from the cruise ship facility. Erected in 1650, St. Nicholas Abbey is one of the only three houses of Jacobean architecture still standing in the Western Hemisphere.

Pebbles Beach is among the most popular of many accessible beaches around Bridgetown, which also features the Mount Gay Rum facility, where visitors can learn of the island's signature rum brand and the beverage's history.

Amber Cove is a purpose-built cruise port in the Dominican Republic's Puerto Plata region featuring bars, restaurants, shops and a sprawling pool area with water slides.

The port also offers a zip line, private cabanas overlooking the water and a transportation hub from where taxis and buses transport guests to area attractions.

Puerto Plata's amber museum recalls the region's history as a mining center. The Caribbean's only aerial tram, the Teleférico cable car, takes visitors to the summit of 2,601-foot Pico Isabel de Torres.

History and natural beauty come together in Bermuda. The British Overseas Territory features numerous landmarks pointing to its colonial past, including the Royal Naval Dockyard, headquarters of the British Royal Navy's Atlantic Fleet from 1812 to 1957

The Dockyard is today the main cruise ship port and features souvenir stores, craft shops and shore excursion staging areas. Historic St. George is a charming UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring the oldest, continually inhabited British settlement in the Western Hemisphere.